


New Moon Shade

by Vampire_Tails



Category: A Hat in Time (Video Game)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Werecreatures, Poor Vincent, The ocs are just his parents, he can never seem to catch a break in any of my fics can he?, inspired by fedoraspooky, weresnatcher au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:34:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28427103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vampire_Tails/pseuds/Vampire_Tails
Summary: Vincent Hildin was just a boy. He didn't ask to be cursed. He wasn't even the one who truly deserved it.Follow him on a captivating journey where a certain legend is revitalized with him as its host.
Comments: 12
Kudos: 20





	1. A Legend's Revival

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to yet another alternate universe of mine, featuring Vincent Hildin, my version of "the prince".  
> It was inspired by the great Fedoraspooky of Tumblr; their wereSnatcher AU was a great read!  
> Btw, this story is rated a bit higher than the others due to usual werecreature stuff. Hope you don't mind!

Legends. The world was full of them. From the infamous Dracula, to the Bermuda Triangle. For a while it was through word of mouth, only to later transition to books. 

People loved their legends. And the legends told varied from culture to culture. 

But one legend was universal, and spoke of a creature known only as the Snatcher. A monster, a  _ demon _ , of unknown species, it sought souls to snatch and eat. And it was only seen on new moon nights. 

While prevalent in earlier centuries, when the creature supposedly ran rampant, its attacks had ended long ago. But nobody ever forgot.

And one day, the legend... would begin anew…

* * *

It was around six years after a child, a young boy, was born into the Hildin family. He was a strange sort, as far as boys went, for he was gentle and loved warm hugs. He was more interested in what his mother did around the home than what his father did for work. 

And this confused and irked the parents. 

Messy, orange hair, bright blue wide eyes, and a gentle smile on that young, freckled face stood proud against the weathered, more cynical faces of his parents in every photo. 

His name was Vincent. 

The boy sat in the kitchen, admiring the way his mother cooked and cleaned. Every few minutes, she'd ask, tiredly and a bit condescendingly, "Vincent, why don't you go play with your toys?"

And every time he'd comply with a gentle "Okay", running to play with his toy trucks and dinosaurs, only to walk right back down to watch her again. She'd sigh. 

"Can I help?" he asked, tilting his head and letting his rather lengthy orange locks flow with the motion. 

"Absolutely not," his mother shot back with no hesitation. "Go play with your toys and roughhouse like a good boy."

He didn't want to. But he didn't want to disobey. So up the stairs he went to play. Vincent lay down on the tattered carpeted rug, absentmindedly using a finger to move his trucks. 

He wanted a doll, a stuffed animal. Something he could pretend to care for and dress up. He'd told his dad and the man practically flipped. "Boys aren't supposed to do that, son!" he told him once, gripping him by the suspenders he used to wear, "you play rough and tough, you  _ are _ rough and tough!"

Vincent remembered crying that day. Not right then and there of course. He recalled the last times he cried in front of his parents. There wasn't any comfort, only cold discipline and harsh words. 

He sighed, and looked up and around his messy, barely put-together room. It was almost as if they didn't want him here. But they loved him. Right?

He sure did love them. 

The boy eyed a blanket he used to cover a giant hole in the wall, and headed over, pulling it aside like a curtain. Inside were books he'd taken from his parents' room to read, one by one. They never noticed they were gone. 

A few of them were books on law; many others contained information about art and literature. Things he wondered how he understood at such an age. Things his parents would never really teach him. 

Vincent read them again and again every night, and he never got tired of them. Smiling, he pulled the blanket back over them, and headed back downstairs to the kitchen, sitting on the floor to watch again. 

"How can you be so quiet, boy?" his mom asked of him harshly once she took notice of him. 

His reply was a shrug. He didn't quite know  _ why _ he was the way he was. He just..  _ was _ . 

"Answer me with words, Vincent."

"I dunno."

She ignored him after that, letting the silence stew in the stained kitchen as well as the brothy dinner she was making. Vincent kept watching, at least until his father got home. The man huffed, tossing his coat on the hanger and slamming the door, creating yet another crack in the wall. 

"I've had enough!" he shouted, blue eyes narrowed. Vincent was almost a spitting image of him. But the chin and harsh wrinkles around those icy eyes were what separated them. "This colleague drives me crazy!"

Vincent stood up, backing away as his father entered the room. "Son, go to your room right now."

The boy didn't protest, running to his room. Father was scary. His mother turned off the stove, since dinner was done, eyebrows crinkling upwards. "What happened, Danny?" all of her harsh condescension faded.

"We got into a shouting match, Kim. He just bugs the ever-loving hell out of me," he sighed, placing a hand on his brow. "I can't explain it. But something's off about him."

"I know what you mean, honey," Kim frowned, glancing upstairs with disinterest. "Something's off about our son too."

Vincent stayed hidden, frowning and shaking. 

"I never really blow up like that."

A lie. 

"I know, Danny."

Also a lie.

Vincent slid away from the door. He didn't want to hear anymore. He'd just wait till dinner was called.

* * *

Dinner was never called. When his parents went to bed, Vincent was unsure whether he should come down for dinner, even though he started starving hours ago. And then a thud echoed up into his room from downstairs. 

The little boy gasped quietly, blue eyes wide. It could be a burglar. He should stay hidden. 

And at the worst possible moment his dad's words of being rough and tough entered his mind. Dad wouldn't hide. He'd investigate, and fight. So that's what he'd do. 

He grabbed a bat from the corner of the room, his eyes hardening as he steeled himself. Vincent stepped downstairs quietly, only to stop cold.

The intruder was big and burly, and had hair almost all over. The front door had been torn off its hinges. The boy, skinny and not nearly as burly, began to think he hardly had a chance. His calculations proved that the odds were against him. Before he could slink back into the safety of his room, the man saw him, yellow eyes gleaming as he foamed at the mouth. 

The burly guy figured this boy was related to the person who angered him at work, and started towards Vincent, bringing out a strange vial. The redhead gulped and held out the bat to try and defend himself. 

"S..stay back!" he warned feebly. 

The creature simply swatted it away like nothing, and he blocked the only way out. So Vincent ran back into his room, backed into a corner. He called for his mom and dad. He called for help. 

Nobody came. 

He looked out the window as the creature drew closer. He wasn't dying today. The hungry boy threw open the window and climbed out just as the creature charged for him.

It was a two story fall, but he escaped that too with minor cuts and bruises. He looked around the village from the bushes decorating the side of the Hildin home, and clambered out, running. But the burly thing was faster than an injured six year old. He lunged from the building, catching Vincent on the way down, and popped open the vial. 

"Mom, dad! help!" he cried out, trying to fight against the clutches of this animal. "Please! don't do this, mister.. I'll be good! I've  _ been _ good!"

"The son will pay for the sins of the father," was the only response Vincent got, before he shoved the contents of the vial down the kid's throat. 

Vincent immediately felt sick, coughing a few times. He groaned, as the elixir began to work its magic. The burly man carried the boy back to the house and tossed him unceremoniously onto his bed before departing. 

The boy continued to cry out for his parents, weakly. And he wondered why they never came…

* * *

The next morning, Vincent woke with a jolt and pangs of hunger. He'd forgotten to eat last night. Groaning, he sat up and rubbed at his forehead, still in the tattered undershirt and boxers from the night before. 

It was only the sting he felt from his cuts and bruises that reminded him that last night wasn't a dream at all.

He sighed, looking tired and wanting nothing more than to eat and go back to bed. So he headed downstairs with a bit of a limp, grabbing a bowl of broth. Vincent almost didn't notice his dad sitting at the table reading the newspaper. 

Forcing a smile, he waved, starting to shake. The man lowered the newspaper, and seemed almost disappointed. "Oh. It's you. Don't you know how to speak, son?"

The boy nodded. "I called for you last night.."

"Is that so? well, maybe you should have been a little louder," Danny replied, with a sneer. "Hadn't I always told you that?" 

Vincent held back tears. He wanted a hug, but he knew his father would never give them. Neither would his mother actually. "I got hurt."

The man raised an eyebrow, and looked the boy over from his seat. "Ah. Some cuts and bruises. That'll heal on its own, son. How does it feel to finally roughhouse like I taught you?" And he actually smiled. 

Vincent.. didn't smile back. He felt.. a little bitter actually. And he didn't answer either, shaking his head and heading back upstairs with the broth. Danny didn't stop him. 

The broth was the only warmth he'd ever have.

* * *

Sure enough, the injuries did heal as he lay in bed, empty bowl off to the side. A little too quickly, but who was he to complain? Vincent did wonder about it all though. That guy last night must have been the colleague his father angered. 

He would never understand why most people resorted to such dastard deeds when angry. 

The boy huffed a bit, crossing his arms. Thinking some more. His mind was his best weapon. And he was going to use it. 

According to the books he'd read, that vial wasn't poison. Or he'd have been dead a while ago. He couldn't understand. He just felt sick. And unusually tired. 

And if he looked in a mirror, he'd find that he looked awfully pale too. Vincent groaned, tired of thinking all of a sudden. His head ached something bad, and his throat and lips were dry.

It only got worse as the day started to fade away. His bones developed a waxing pain inside them, and his entire body got sweaty, as if he was getting warmer and warmer. His breathing became harsh and shallow. 

And then night was falling; searing pain shot through his entire little body. Vincent choked, getting up and stumbling off the bed. His legs felt so weak, like jelly. He found that he could hardly move them, so he just started to drag himself around, writhing on the floor. Splotches of a very dark purple began forming on his face, arms and legs, and he whined softly, the pain far too much for a six year old. 

His bones snapped and rearranged, prompting screams of utmost pain; his ten fingers sharpened into claws that melded together into two fingers on each hand, and his legs fused to make a tail. All the while he screamed like no tomorrow, definitely waking his parents. 

The transformation didn't stop there. His lips formed two large fangs, his eyes and maw starting to glow eternally blue with powerful heat, and he progressively grew fluffier. In the process, his clothes tore up, and as his maw changed so did his screams. Much less human. Much more monstrous. 

What was once a child, was now a small purple noodle-like creature. He growled, claws clutching at the floor and nearly scoring it too. Vincent opened his glowing eyes again, mind completely shut down and in a monster's claw. All he could feel and think about was hunger. 

And he sensed two souls in this very house.


	2. Displaced

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FIRST UPDATE OF THE NEW YEAR! I couldn't wait for next week to come when I'd left all of y'all on that cliffhanger.   
> So have some more (angst)!

Danny and Kim were woken up by the fierce, agonized screams, soon to be replaced by monstrous, hungry howls. The brunette clung to her redhead husband, terrified out of her wits. The man, however, seemed to show no fear. His eyes were almost like steel. "Let go, hon. I'm gonna go see what this is." 

"Danny, why not hide this time?" she asked, brown eyes shimmering from tears. She still didn't let go.

"I'm a man," was his simple response. He reached under the bed and grabbed a metal bat. "I'll be fine."

She finally let go with a sigh, and down he went while she went to hide in the nearby closet. It wasn't spacious but it'd do. 

Danny snuck down the stairs, narrowing his eyes as he then walked into the kitchen. All Kim could hear at this point were footsteps, and then a thump as the creature unceremoniously leapt down the other set of stairs. 

The man let out a strangled cry upon seeing it. It was smaller than that of legend, much smaller, and rather than gold had blue, oval-shaped eyes and a blue, drooling maw. And it wore a torn up undershirt…

It growled at the man, fur raised, eyes wild, claws itching to kill. But the redhead didn't back down, clenching the bat tighter. It circled the man the best it could in such an enclosed space, ready to pounce at any moment. 

Danny backed up a bit, watching its every move, not connecting the dots. This was a beast that had somehow gotten into their house. And as a man, he had to get rid of it. 

But how?

The demon roared and finally lunged, the man just barely preventing it from biting his face off with the bat. He held the bat against the creature, who chomped and clawed at it repeatedly, but despite how small it was, Danny could hear the metal bat starting to crack. 

And, stupidly, he snatched the bat away, almost creating an opening, and smacked the creature with it hard, sending it flying into the wall. It whined, clutching at where it hurt for a bit, but it seemed to recover quickly. In mere minutes it was back up, tail lashing and knocking over various items as it charged again. 

Danny was ready and swung the bat right at its face, and it connected with a loud crack, sending the monster  _ through _ the wall this time. It shrieked in pain, landing outside a couple ways away, tears trailing down from its eyes as it lay there, pawing at its face. It could sense more souls out here. In every building. And it was so very hungry…

* * *

Danny snuck to the hole in the wall, glancing out at the writhing purple demon. Watching it soon get up and leave. That didn't bode well. He had to stop this creature before it killed anyone. 

After he told his wife what he was going to do, he headed out onto the path with his bat, but he'd brought a gun along this time too.

* * *

The small demon rumbled along, sniffing every now and then. It licked its lips, eyes glaring hungrily around. It wanted to ease the pain the hunger caused. The external pain barely bothered it anymore. 

A gunshot rang out, the ensuing bullet planting itself in the ground beside the creature, alerting it to a closer soul. It whipped around, and narrowed its blue eyes, lips curling into a snarl. That dark soul became enticing yet again. 

"That was a warning shot. Next one won't be," the soul stated, though the beast only heard a garbled mess. 

It soon approached the man, fire billowing in its maw and spilling out. Danny leapt out of the way as the creature lunged, flaming jaw catching only ground. The man then aimed and fired his second shot, nailing the monster right in the shoulder. 

It howled in pain, probably waking everyone else up, and started wildly charging through the ground with a limp, growling. Danny's eyes widened, before he proceeded to shoot at it again. And again. And again. 

Nailing it in the cheek, arm and tail. 

But the beast was not slowing down. It snarled as it followed the sounds of the gunshots and sensation of the soul, heading straight for Danny. That was when he readied his bat, and swung, landing a home run. The creature was sent flying once more, right into…

...their house. 

Oh no. 

Horror dawned on Danny, and he proceeded to rush back to the home.

* * *

The purple noodle-like beast crashed right through the roof into Danny's and Kim's room, and the woman started to shake upon hearing pained whines and growls. Blue blood leaked onto the floor, as it got up once more, heaving and swaying. It sensed another soul nearby. Different. But still dark as coal.

It hissed, tongue slithering out of its maw, starting to approach the closet. Kim gripped her mouth in order not to scream, eyes wide. Slowly, due to the pain, it reached for the door, pulling it open. She immediately got to her feet and booked it out of there, heading down the stairs with the creature nearly at her heels. 

It chomped at her as it limply chased, fire licking out of its mouth again. Danny opened the door just in time for Kim to rush out and slam it. The creature bonked into the door, not yet strong enough and too in pain to tear through it. It hissed, starting to claw at the door, trying to get at the souls behind it.

Kim and Danny sighed. At least it was trapped in there. But where would they go? neither of them realized they were missing something. Or rather, some _ one _ . Or did they just not care?

"We have to figure out how to kill it," Danny spoke up after he regained his breath. Kim only nodded, too shocked to speak. But it was too late to visit the library. They'd have to wait till morning, the man realized. 

He stomped his foot, swearing under his breath, and sat down, gun at the ready. The brunette followed his motions. They could still hear claws scratching at the door, leaving deeper and deeper scores into it.

And it lasted all night. 

The demon was almost through when the sun started peeking through, and froze. It choked on a whine as it started to shrink, its fur beginning to recede. Its tail dragged across the floor before splitting into legs, bones snapping and rearranging. It howled painfully, convulsing; the claws separated into ten fingers and the blue of its mouth and eyes faded away. 

Danny, out of complete curiosity, opened the door, only to find a young boy who simultaneously looked like the beast, what with the fangs still present and receding and purple blotches along his skin. The mane disappeared and dissipated, revealing long orange hair. Snarling howls became human screams, and soon the itchy-looking blotches faded away, revealing pale skin.

Danny continued to stare, as did Kim, with utter shock. That was their son. 

"Ugh…" Vincent groaned. He felt sick, and he felt like he'd been shot several times and like he'd busted his aching head. He coughed, moaning some more in sheer agony. "What.. happened last night..?" he asked no one in particular feebly.

And then he finally looked up, and saw his parents looking frazzled. He slowly sat up, only to heave and vomit up his breakfast, and four bullets. Danny's eyes soon hardened. "You were the beast…" he whispered.

Vincent looked up at his dad, squinting. The sun shone through the open door and it was killing his eyes. But moreso he did it out of confusion. "Wh.. what..?"

"You were the beast!" Danny yelled, angrily. "You…  _ scum _ !" 

The boy recoiled, but it only made his head hurt more, as well as the wounds he was now harshly aware of. "Daddy, I don't know what you're talking about..!"

And suddenly he felt the cold barrel of his dad's gun against his forehead. Suddenly, a couple memories from last night resurfaced past the blur. 

He..  _ was _ the beast...

Tears welled up in his big blue eyes, and he shook as he stared at his father. "D..daddy, please.. I'm sorry.. don't kill me…" 

Kim shouted just then. "Danny Hildin! put the gun down!"

"He nearly tried to kill us, honey!" his father exclaimed. 

"I don't care. He's not our problem anymore," the woman narrowed her eyes. 

Danny bit his lip, before he lowered the gun. Vincent lowered his head, sniffling as he hugged himself. He was in so much pain. Physically. And emotionally too. 

"Get up," his mother ordered. 

Vincent complied, dizzied by how fast he did so. He shook some more, his legs jelly, not exactly in any state to move. But it didn't look like his parents cared. 

"Cover yourself, and leave," she finished, pointing out the door.

The boy felt his heart break. Were they.. disowning him? after several seconds - what felt like minutes to him - he nodded, stowing his tears. "Okay…"

He made his way back through the kitchen and upstairs with a limp, as his parents followed him inside. He could hear them talking again.

"We'll have another son. A good little boy this time."

The six-year-old let out a choked sob, before he shakily put on a pair of boxers and got dressed against his bed. He stared at the other pair of boxers, torn up beyond repair, lying at the foot of his bed. This was so much to take in. 

Becoming a beast. Attacking his parents. 

His parents. Disowning him.

But he probably deserved it, right?

He threw on his favorite patchy cloak from his littler days. Better dress up properly. Vincent then headed over to his impromptu bookcase, took a couple of his favorite books and stuffed them into his cloak's pocket. 

They'd have a better little boy who actually does what they want. 

They'd forget all about him. 

But despite everything, he still wished them the best. 

Still loved them. 

Sighing, Vincent glanced at his toys. His little brother can have them. And then he put on his boots and walked downstairs. 

Out the door. 

Out of town. 

Into the jaws of nature. 

Ignoring how much he wanted to rest, ignoring how sick he was. And out here, in the depths of the forest, was when he allowed himself to sob his heart out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt bad writing this chapter but it had to be done. Hope it didn't break your heart too much. It certainly broke mine. ;3;  
> Anyway, please comment what you think! I'd love to read and reply!

**Author's Note:**

> What a cliffhanger I left you guys on. On the first chapter too. Haha.  
> Hopefully this won't be like a certain other story I'm writing where it takes a month to update.  
> Hope you guys read and rev... er, comment! I like reading what you all have to say!  
> Also, last update of the year! HAPPY NEW YEAR!


End file.
